When They Tell You Your Application Has Been 'Considered'

Job hunting can be a rollercoaster of emotions, and when you get the response, 'Your application has been considered,' you might want to scream, 'Finally!'

But in the world of job applications, this response is more likely a polite way to say, ‘We got your applo. It is now dying in an ultra tall stack of other applos that our company might think about at our pleasure. Don’t call us, we’ll call you.’

In reality, this phrase means the Company has acknowledged receipt of your application. Yours may be in a stack of possible candidates. Or something vaguely similar. No company is obligated to state anything else... other than schedule an interview...

The code behind the submit button was cleverly designed to display this message, indicating to the applicant that their submission was successful. They could have used “submitted,” “application received,” or any of a number of other terms. They chose the enigmatic phrase, “Under Consideration.”

So, Why the Generic Response?

They have so many applications that they haven’t the time to reject them yet! This is the heart of the matter. It is a generic statement meaning that the company has not yet made a final hiring decision on the position you applied for.

Once the decision is made, if you were not selected, you may not be notified of the decision. Do not stop looking for work until you are actually working at a new job!

Reasons for the 'Consideration' Response

There are many reasons why they might still be considering your application:

A member of the hiring team might have taken unexpected leave. You might be asking for more money than they had, but they might be fighting to get it approved. There may be someone with very similar experiences, and they can't decide who to choose. Possibly there are others with similar qualifications.

The 'Leave Them Alone' School

This back-and-forth is the rationale behind the 'Leave Them Alone' school of thought. They say to drop it. If they are not interested in hiring you, they are even less interested in corresponding with you to explain why. So, they dish out the BS of still considering you. No, they aren’t.

It’s not that following up is necessarily wrong—although it does dilute your energy chasing the ship that might have already sailed. Move on and let them surprise you next year with a job offer.

What Does 'Still Considering' Mean?

This response can mean a few things:

Still in the Process: They are still reviewing applications and have not made a final decision yet. No Further Steps: It could also imply that they have determined you are not a fit for the position but have not communicated this to you directly. Next Steps: It might be a precursor to further communication with an invitation to an interview or a request for additional information.

If you haven't heard back in a week or two, it is generally acceptable to follow up politely to inquire about the status of your application. Follow up, but don’t be pushy. It’s a delicate dance.